AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: RECONCILIATION IN HEALTH DISPARITIES & PREVENTION MARK LOVELACE, MHA

AFFORDABLE CARE ACT: RECONCILIATION IN HEALTH DISPARITIES & PREVENTION MARK LOVELACE, MHA

KEY FACTS: The law requires that a National Strategy for Quality Improvement be developed to improve the delivery of health care services, patient outcomes, and reduce health disparities. The ACA also increases funding to the Centers of Excellence to support health disparities research (Section 5401). It also creates the Patient-Centered Outcomes Research Institute to conduct comparative effectiveness research on health care service outcomes for minorities (section 6301).

KEY FACTS CONTINUED: Medicaid serves as a vehicle for coverage for minority populations it covers nearly 40 percent of African American and Latino children. Beginning in 2014, the ACA prevents insurance companies from denying insurance coverage to people who have pre-existing conditions or charging higher premiums to those individuals. African Americans tend to have lower rates of employer sponsored coverage, making us likely to take advantage of the new market created by health exchanges.

HEALTH CARE WORKFORCE AND CULTURAL COMPETENCE In 2008, African Americans and Latinos accounted for 14 percent of medical school graduates, a number that does not currently reflect the Nation s population. The ACA has multiple sections within the law that are aimed at increasing the diversity within the primary care, dental, mental health, and long-term care workforce. The ACA invests in the development and evaluation of culturally competent curricula in educational training over the next five years.

COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS (CHCS) In 2009, the majority of community health center patients were racial and ethnic minorities; 34 percent of health center patients are Hispanic or Latino and 28 percent are African-American. The new law provides $11 billion over the next five years enabling community health centers to double the number of patients to 40 million by 2019. CHCs will play a key role in providing primary care and preventive services to newly insured minorities and historically underserved populations.

MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH The ACA provides funding $1.5 billion over five years for the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visiting Programs. Regardless of whether a state plans to apply for this grant, each state must complete a needs assessment to identify at-risk communities in order to receive any Title V Maternal and Child Health Block Grant funds. Home visiting programs provide patient-centered support and education to individuals which can improve health literacy and ultimately, improve health outcomes.

AFRICAN AMERICAN HEALTH DISPARITIES: Include but are not limited to: Heart Disease Stroke HIV/AIDS (1993 to 2013) Chronic Lower Respiratory Disease (Asthma) Septicemia Cancer Hypertension and Diabetes Nephritis, (Kidney Diseases) Homicide Alzheimer's Disease www.cdc.gov/minorityhealth/brochures/baa.pdf

HOW YOU CAN AFFECT CHANGE The house is on fire and many are arguing about whether we are going to use water or high pressure foam.

WHO ARE THE FIREMEN? Politicians Health Care Professionals Media Those citizens who have not read the Affordable Care Act but have an opinion.

WHAT DO WE TELL THE FIREMEN? Whether we agree with the ACA or not, those who are most at risk, those who are inside of the burning building, need our help now. The ACA provides those at the greatest risk, the tools and opportunity to fight against many chronic diseases. Unless you have a better plan to extinguish the fire, the ACA is moving forward.